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With tight deadline, Main Line Health staff helps teen ‘score’ a quick physical

Patient SpotlightSeptember 22, 2016By Main Line Health

Heidi Deger had taken her son to get sports physicals before. So, when she learned he’d need one to attend an elite summer soccer camp at Georgetown University, she figured she had two choices: her local retail clinic or a visit to the Main Line Health Center at Exton Square Mall. Deger chose Main Line Health.

When Deger and her son, Daniel, arrived at the health center, a nurse greeted them and reviewed the physical requirement sheet Deger had brought with her for the appointment. Immediately, she recognized it as more than an everyday sports physical.

“She told us that what the camp was asking for was atypical—it was requesting certain examinations to be done that aren’t part of a routine physical, like a urinalysis, hepatitis testing, and a number of different shots that you wouldn’t normally need,” says Deger. “I panicked because I had already paid, and I only had a limited window to get this completed.”

But, as Deger quickly discovered, there was no need to panic. Rather than issuing a refund and asking Deger to make a doctor’s appointment for the full workup that Daniel would need, the Main Line Health team assured Deger that they would find a way to complete the necessary testing during her scheduled appointment time.

“Our goal is to meet the needs of our patients during every visit and accommodate their needs—even the unexpected ones, like the Degers’ detailed physical requirements,” says Maria Flannery, Director of Physician Practices and Ambulatory Care Centers at Main Line Health.

And so, they did. Dr. Allen Dimino, family practice physician performed the physical Deger’s son needed to attend camp—no doctor’s appointment needed.

“The nurse we spoke to and the doctor who worked with us were unbelievably helpful,” says Deger. “If I had walked into a retail clinic, I would’ve left with a blank piece of paper.”

With a physical completed in a quick turnaround time, Daniel was free to head off to soccer camp. But Deger knew it wouldn’t have been possible without the flexibility of the Main Line Health team.

“The nurse practitioner could’ve looked at it and said, ‘I can’t help you’ but the Main Line Health team problem solved to get me what I needed,” says Deger. “They were very considerate of my time and my situation. They were quick, kind—it was a really, really good experience.”

The Main Line Health Center at Exton Square offers superior, patient-centered quality care in a convenient and accessible setting. Visit our website to learn more about the services offered at this location, including sports physicals, lab services and urgent care.